Integrated firearm safety system

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a new firearm safety system and kit comprising at least one firearm monitoring system and at least one integrated safety element. A method for a safe use of a firearm is further disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/760,218, filed Feb. 4, 2013, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed towards the system and method for a safe andreliable use of an individual firearm.

In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a firearm monitoringsystem comprising a firearm and at least one built-in safety elementselected from a GPS unit, a cellular network unit, a discharge sensor,an emergency signaling unit, or a combination thereof. The firearmmonitoring system may further comprise a biosensor integrated with afirearm.

In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a method for afirearm monitoring comprising the steps of: a. equipping the firearmwith at least one safety element; b. establishing a Central Control andMonitoring Station (CCMS); c. enabling a signal transmission from thesafety element to the CCMS, d. providing the means for remotely orautomatically activating or deactivating the firearm in response to atrigger information (signal).

In a further embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: a.activating a position locating and transmitting system; b. monitoring afirearm location; c. transmitting the firearm location data to a CCMS;d. remotely deactivating the firearm if its location coincides with apublic safety zone. The method may further comprise a step of activatinga biosensor to determine whether the firearm is handled by an authorizedperson, wherein the biosensor is automatically activated by handling thefirearm.

In a yet further embodiment, the invention discloses a firearm safetykit comprising a firearm, an optional biosensor, at least one built-insafety element, a means for a data transmission from the safety elementto a CCMS, a means for data processing at the CCMS, a means for thesignal transmission from the CCMS to the safety element, and a means foractivating or deactivating the firearm remotely from the CCMS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The current invention in the entirety of all its embodiments is directedtowards providing a system and method of a safe firearm handling andexploitation to minimize the risk posed to the firearm owners andpublic.

For the purposes of this invention, a firearm is defined as a projectileweapon including but not limited to handguns, long guns, carbines;repeating, semi-automatic and automatic guns, pistols, shotguns, assaultweapons.

The invention is also directed towards beam/ray weapons and any otherhand-held weapons operating through an energy discharge.

In one aspect, the invention is directed towards a method and system ofprevention of handling of a weapon by any person who is not authorizedto handle the weapon. For this purpose, the firearm monitoring system ofthe instant invention comprises an integrated biosensor that scansbiometric information of a person intending to handle a weapon andcompares it with the stored biometric information of a person authorizedto handle the firearm.

The biosensors useful in the practice of the instant invention includebut are not limited to fingerprinting devices, grip recognition devices,voice, face or eyes recognition devices, or any biometric data scanningdevices that may be conveniently integrated into a firearm. Therespective biometric information scanned by the biosensor includesfingerprints, voice patterns, grip pattern, facial features, eye irispattern, or any other unique biometric information that may beprocessed, stored and compared by a biosensor.

At the attempt to handle the firearm, the integrated biosensor asdescribed above scans the biometric information of the handler andcompares it with the stored biometric information of the authorizedperson. If the biometric information corresponds to that of theauthorized person, the handler is allowed to use the weapon. If no matchis found with the stored biometric information, the firearmautomatically activates the lock and prevents the handler from using thefirearm. In an additional embodiment of the invention, the firearmfurther transmits an alert signal to a Central Control and MonitoringStation (CCMS).

In another aspect, the invention is directed towards a method ofprevention of a non-authorized firearm discharge in or around public orsemi-public areas and at locations that are not approved for such adischarge. For the purposes of this invention, a public or semi-publicarea is defined as a space open and accessible to public, including butnot limited to workplaces, educational institutions, retail andrecreation areas, public transportation, roads and highways.

In particular, the invention is directed towards a method for a firearmmonitoring comprising the steps of: a. equipping the firearm with atleast one integrated safety element; b. establishing a CCMS; c. enablinga signal transmission from the safety element to the CCMS, d. providingthe means for remotely or automatically activating or deactivating thefirearm in response to a trigger information (signal).

The method can additionally comprise the steps of e. equipping thefirearm with an integrated biosensor; and f. storing the biometricinformation of the authorized person.

In another embodiment, the invention is directed towards a method for afirearm monitoring comprising the steps of: a. activating a positionlocating and transmitting system; b. monitoring a firearm location; c.transmitting the firearm location data to a CCMS; d. remotelydeactivating the firearm if its location coincides with a public safetyzone. The public safety zone is defined here as a zone including apublic or semi-public place and additional and pre-determinedsurrounding area. The method can additionally comprise the step ofactivating a biosensor to determine whether the firearm is handled by anauthorized person, wherein the biosensor is automatically activated byhandling the firearm.

The biosensor and its mode of action have been discussed above. At leastone built-in safety element useful in the practice of the currentinvention is selected from a satellite navigation unit, a cellularnetwork unit, a discharge sensor, an emergency signaling unit(“emergency button”), or a combination thereof. The satellite navigationunit may be any positioning unit capable of receiving a satellitesignal, calculating the location of the firearm, and transmitting thelocation information to the CCMS. By the way of a non-limiting example,a GPS unit may be used as a satellite navigation unit. The GPS unitcomprises a GPS receiver and a GPS transmitter. The GPS unit isautomatically activated by handling the weapon and remains active tillthe weapon is returned to the storage unit.

A cellular wireless unit useful for the invention enables communicationof the firearm with the CCMS. In particular, the cellular wireless unitsends location and biometric data to CCMS. Upon receiving the data, CCMSgenerates a decision on activation or deactivation of the weapon, basedon biometric data, location data and/or other factors, such as adistance to the public shooting free zone, and transmits the data to theweapon through the wireless cellular system. The firearm wirelesscellular unit receives the signal from CCMS via the cellular network andelectronically and programmatically locks or unlocks the firearm. Thecellular unit comprises a cellular receiver and a cellular transmitter.

The coordination of work and activity of all elements of the system iscontrolled by client/server software system. Client software isinstalled on individual firearm. Server software system is installed onCCMS. Client software collects all necessary data and securely transmitsit to CCMS server system. CCMS server system analyzes all informationand transmits “lock/unlock” signal to Client Software firearm unit. Uponreceiving the result “lock/unlock” from CCMS, the client softwareenables or disables firearm discharge mechanism through the electronicor mechanical means.

In addition to the safety elements discussed above, the safetymonitoring system of the instant invention may comprise a build-indischarge sensor and/or an emergency “button”. A discharge sensor, whichmay be any sensor capable of detecting a firearm discharge andtransmitting the information about the discharge to the CCMS through thewireless cellular networks, may be represented, without limitations, byelectronic or mechanical sensors. The emergency “button” may be manuallyactivated by the user or any other person in case of the emergency. Itwill send a distress signal to the CCMS through the cellular network.Any of the number of devices known in the art may be used for thesepurposes.

Further, the firearm of the instant invention is equipped by arechargeable energy supply and is provided with a secure housing capableof detecting a non-authorized firearm removal.

In a further embodiment, the invention is directed towards a firearmsafety kit comprising a firearm, at least one built-in safety element, ameans for a data transmission from the safety element to a CCMS, a meansfor data processing at the CCMS, a means for the signal transmissionfrom the CCMS to the safety element, and a means for deactivating andactivating the firearm remotely from the CCMS. The kit may also comprisea biosensor integrated with a firearm. The safety elements, datatransmission means, signal transmission means andactivation/deactivating means suitable for the kit of the instantinvention may be represented by the means disclosed in the previousembodiments, but not limited to them in any extent. Any functionallycomparable means may be used for successful practicing of the instantinvention.

In addition to the elements of this embodiment described above, the kitalso includes necessary computer hardware and software for installationat the CCMS, and respective instructions and manuals. The kits of theinstant invention may be useful for military, law enforcement forces,training purposes and for a variety of other activities and situations.

Other modifications and enhancements to the invention can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.

1. A firearm monitoring system comprising: (a) a firearm and at leastone built-in safety element selected from a GPS unit, a cellular networkunit, a discharge sensor, an emergency signaling unit, or a combinationthereof, (b) a central control and monitoring system (CCMS) and (c) aclient/server software system, wherein the client software is installedon the firearm, and the server software is installed at CCMS.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1 further comprising a biosensor.
 3. The system of claim2 wherein the biosensor is selected from a fingerprinting device, a griprecognition device, a voice recognition device, a face recognitiondevice, or an eye recognition device.
 4. The system of claim 1 whereinthe GPS unit comprises a GPS transmitter and a GPS receiver.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the cellular network unit comprises acellular wireless receiver and a cellular wireless transmitter.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein the firearm is selected from a projectileweapon, a beam emitting weapon, or a ray emitting weapon.
 7. The systemof claim 1 further comprising a storage unit.
 8. A method for a firearmmonitoring comprising the steps of: a. activating a position locatingand transmitting system; b. monitoring a firearm location; c.transmitting the firearm location data to a CCMS; c. remotelydeactivating the firearm if its location coincides with a public safetyzone.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of equippingthe firearm with at least one safety element selected from a positionlocating and transmitting system, a cellular network unit, a dischargesensor, an emergency signaling unit, or a combination thereof.
 10. Themethod of claim 8, further comprising the steps of e. equipping thefirearm with a biosensor; and f. storing biometric information of aperson.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a step ofactivating a biosensor to determine whether the firearm is handled by anauthorized person, wherein the biosensor is automatically activated byhandling the firearm.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the biosensoris a fingerprint sensor and the biometric information comprises afingerprint.
 13. The method of claim 8 wherein the position locating andtransmitting system comprises a GPS receiver and transmitter, a cellularreceiver and transmitter, or a combination thereof.
 14. The method ofclaim 8 further comprising a step of transmitting a trigger informationsignal, a firearm discharge signal or an emergency signal to the CCMS.15. The method of claim 8 wherein the firearm is selected from aprojectile weapon, a beam emitting weapon, or a ray emitting weapon. 16.The method of claim 14, wherein the trigger information signal comprisesan emergency signal, an information that the firearm location coincideswith a public safety zone, an information that the handler biometricdata differs from the authorized person biometric data, a dischargesignal, or a combination thereof.
 17. A firearm safety kit comprising afirearm, at least one built-in safety element, a means for a datatransmission from the safety element to a CCMS, a means for dataprocessing at the CCMS, a means for a signal transmission from the CCMSto the safety element, and a means for deactivating and activating thefirearm remotely from the CCMS.